Church Staff

Senior Pastor,
Reverend, Ji Min Bang

My name is Ji Min. I was born in South Korea and came to America as a high school student, a journey that has profoundly impacted both my life and my calling.

Over the years, I've had the privilege of serving in a variety of ministry settings—as a Children's Ministry pastor, a chaplain, and a theological educator in both prison and academic contexts. These experiences have nurtured my passion for pastoral care, children's ministry, public engagement with Scripture, and walking alongside individuals and groups in their journey of faith and discipleship.

I received my Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University and am currently pursuing a doctorate in the Bible and Ancient Near East at Brandeis University, where I'm completing my dissertation on the prophetic books of Ezekiel and Daniel.

When I'm not engaged in ministry or study, I enjoy lifting weights (though I'm no athlete!), going for runs, and always keeping an eye out for good food spots. I'm truly excited to get to know each one of you and to witness together the wonderful ways God will work through our community!

Certified Lay Servant,
Bonnie-jean Rowe

Bonnie-jean Rowe is a Certified Lay Servant and works with Pastor Ji Min to plan and lead worship services. She is also a Spiritual Director after completing a 2-year training program of spiritual direction and spiritual formation. After completing that and another year-long certification program of spiritual formation, she was hired by the church as the Minister of Spiritual Formation.

Bonnie-jean plans and leads worship services on a regular basis, plans and leads Bible and book studies, and helps lead a weekly prayer group that meets online at 7:30 AM on Saturday mornings. She also plans and leads a women’s retreat every October; she has been doing this for almost 20 years. If you are interested in meeting with Bonnie-jean as a Spiritual Director, joining the Wednesday evening online Bible/book studies, or the Saturday morning prayer group, contact Bonnie-jean at bjmrowe@verizon.net. 

Church Administrator,
Judy Bortolotti

Judy Bortolotti has been serving as the Church Administrator since 2015, following 10 years in the same role at Fisk United Methodist Church in Natick. She also served as Director of First Impressions/Guest Experience for over 10 years at her former church. Her professional background also includes a 20-year successful career in retail management.
 
Judy lives in Framingham with her husband, Alfredo, their two children, Gabriella and Jimmy, and their cat, Peanut. Deeply committed to her community, she also serves on the Board of Directors for Framingham Baseball and, is a foster parent with DCF- fostering more than 35 children over the past 18 years.
 
In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, running, music, dancing, baking, gardening, and baseball. She is passionate about creating a welcoming environment wherever she serves - and is grateful for the opportunity to support this church and the community.

Choir Director,
Julie Rundlett

Julie Rundlett, a long-time member of Beacon of Hope United Methodist Church, has devoted most of her life to Christian Music Ministry.  Julie's background includes many years of vocal training along with participation in multiple Christian music ministries. She has served as the Choir Director at Beacon of Hope since 2020.  Prior to that, Julie was Choir Director at Wesley United Methodist Church from 2002 until 2020, faithfully leading the Choir until the onset of the Covid pandemic.
 
Music has always been a central part of Julie's life—both in worship and in her personal journey—and she feels truly blessed to now share her passion and gifts with her home church community.

Alongside her ministry, Julie has lovingly operated a home daycare for over 35 years, nurturing and supporting countless children and families. She lives in Framingham with her husband, Dave, and their two dogs. Together, they enjoy a close-knit family that includes 4 adult children and 9 grandchildren.

Sexton,
Kathy Zanella

Kathy has worked as the Sexton for Beacon of Hope United Methodist Church for the past 18 years.  She graduated from Mass Bay Community College, Wheelock College and has an Early Education License for preschool to kindergarten. She also owned a private nursery-to-kindergarten school for twenty-five years. She enjoys sewing, bowling, and scrapbooking. She shares her life with her husband George, their son and daughter, and their families.